Dinner

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "dinner" often means the midday meal, especially on Sundays or in older country use. This contrasts with "supper," which is the evening meal.

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Hillbilly Dude Says...

At school, the midday meal was 'lunch.' Everywhere else? 'Dinner.' Some people still call it that, but mostly old timers.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

At school, the midday meal was 'lunch.' Everywhere else? 'Dinner.' Some people still call it that, but mostly old timers.

Pronunciation

[DIN-er]

Meaning & Usage

- Midday meal (noun, traditional Southern/Appalachian sense)

Mae:

Y’all comin’ over for Sunday dinner?

Earl:

Wouldn’t miss it - your biscuits are the best.

- Evening meal (noun, modern standard sense)

Mae:

We had steak for dinner last night.

Earl:

That’s what city folks call supper.

variations: midday meal, Sunday meal, noon meal, lunch (modern overlap), main meal, feast

★ If you hear "dinner" in the hills, listen close - it might mean noon or evening depending on the family. Sunday "dinner" almost always means the big noon meal after church. ★

Origin and Etymology

From Old French *disner* ("to dine, eat the main meal"). Originally in English it meant the main meal of the day, which used to be midday. In Appalachia and the South, that older sense stuck, even as most of the U.S. shifted "dinner" to the evening.

Usage Notes

Still common in Appalachia and the South to hear "dinner" for midday, especially among older generations. Younger speakers may use "dinner" for evening and "lunch" for noon, but "Sunday dinner" at midday remains a strong tradition.

Say It Like a Southerner

Say it plain: "dinner." Stress on the first syllable.

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Is "dinner" lunch or supper?

In Appalachia and the South, it often means lunch (midday), while supper is evening. Elsewhere, dinner usually means evening.

Why the difference?

Historically, "dinner" was the main meal at noon. Over time, city life shifted it later, but mountain talk kept the older sense.

Do people still say it that way?

Yes - especially in rural families and around Sunday church traditions.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, August 26). Dinner. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/dinner
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Dinner." HillbillySlang.com, 26 Aug. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/dinner.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Dinner." HillbillySlang.com. August 26, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/dinner.